Refrigerator case



Aug. 10, 1937. G. J. HOPKINS REFRIGERATOR CASE Filed Oct. 17, 1935INVENTOR. Georye f. Hap/(ins Y 7Z4, f/324', I

A TTORNEYS.

. spaced panes as hereinbeforeindicated but it will reamed Aug. 10,1937

Application October 17, 1935, Serial No; asses K The instant inventionrelates to refrigerator ca and more particularly to displayrefrigerators havingspaced multiple panes of glass for pennlttingobservation of food products within 5 the refrigerator by prospectivecustomers and purobjects of the present invention are to provid adisplay refrigerator case of the ter above indicated whose spacedmultiple no panes of glass are maintained free from moisturecondensation; to provide such a refrigerator whose cooling systemmaintains the spaced panes of glass free from moisture condensation; toprovide such a refrigerator whose inter-glass space(s) is in 3communication with a refrigerating coil whereby the moisture ofcondensation is formed upon the coil and when dropped therefrom isconducted to an airtight plate between the inter-glass space theinterior of the refrigerator which plate 30 is pervious to waterpermitting seepage of water of condensation therethrough; and, toprovide such a refrigerator having a fin disposed below the coil forconducting the water of condensation from the coil to the plate. 25 Anillustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

- Figure l is a transverse sectional viewof a.

I refrigerator of the display type in which the interg space betweendual panes of glass is cooled to by a rfrigeratingcoil for the p ofmainin which like Y t the ""iructure there she e numerals in the.several views, the refrigeraftor' iii is of the conventional displaytype, 4% shown as provided with sliding doors ii, is

M ted duai panes of glass i3, is to p is p it; tive customers andpurchasers to view the food displayed therein upon the racks 111' etreirigerator case is provided with dual be understood of course thattriple or other multiple spaced panes may be used if desired.

- m reservoir i6 is preferably though not necessslorilyprovldedandisdisposed belowtheieter are dated by the ring accws tothe'int erior thereof and having I 'glass space ll defined by the panesl3, ll and a tube l8 provides a port affording communication legtweenthe inter-glass space H and the reservoir A refrigerating coil l9,preferably leading from 5 v v the main refrigerating coil 20 within therefrigerator case, circuitously passes into and out of the reservoir l6and runs substantially the length thereof for cooling theinter-glass-space ll whose moisture laden air causes the moisture ofcon- 10 .densation to deposit itself. upon the portion IQ of therefrigerating coil 20 and, thus maintain the eiiacedglass panes freefrom moisture condenses As above indicated, the reservoir It need notnecessarily be employed. it refrigerating coil, either connected withthe main coil within the refrigerator or entirely independent thereof,merely in communication with the inter glass space H will likewiseejflectively cause the moisture of condensation to become depositedthereon.

An air tight plate 2| 'pervious to water is here shown as verticallydisposed between the reservoir It andthe interior of the refrigerator 10and an angularly disposed fin 22, preferablyof metal, is disposed belowand secured to the underq side of the coil portion IQ for conductingfallen drops of water of condensation from the coil to the perviousplate through which seepage is permitted. 80

, While it is quite possible other'materials, either ture of silica gel,alumina gel or similar microscopically porous fine crushed powder, witha binder of a suitable material such as hard rubber, ideally serves thepurpose. The proportion of.

the porous colloidal material to the binder should 140 not'be less thanten per cent, but maybe increased I according to the nature of thematerial used and its fineness wherever it is, for instance, desired 3to increase the structural strength of the finished sheet or plate.Operation f In operation as will be understoodto those familiar with therefrigeration art, the coldest place in the refrigerator is therefrigerating 60- means, which in this instance are the coils 2B andtheir portion is running through; thereservoir It; Air adjacent thevrefrigerating coils is thus cooled by convection and since cold air isunable to retain as much moisture as warmer air, some when the moisturethe surrounding-moisture'on' the tube i8 dries p6 55 diffused downwardlyinequalising the humidity -6. In a display refrigerator case water. ispermittedby the evaporation on the op of the moisture. normally retainedbysuch warmer I air is caused to be deposited upon the coils to thepanes is thus effectively prevented and while point of saturation forthe resulting temperature. but one specific embodiment of this inventionThus since the .air in the warmer in -glass has been herelnshown anddescribed, it will be space H is free to pass over the portion ll of theunderstood that numerous details of the concoils in and since thewarmer. air is gradually struction shown may be altered or omittedwithcooled by convection'currents thus set Illa-the moisture flowstoward the portion it of the coils defined by the following claims. 20and will condense thereon ratherthanupon the I claim: a spaced panesofglass to cloud them and thereby 1. Ina display refrigerator case havingdual preventaclear view oi the food displayedwithin spaced panes ofglass defining an inter-glass the refrigerator. Q r I space,arefrige'rating coil positioned to refri thus forming on the por- Ierate the interglass space, and an airtight plate tlorr lsof the coils2| increases sufficiently to pervioustowater between the coil and formlarge-drops ofwater, the drops of water theinter ior of the refrigeratorpermitting seepage thus formed will followi the angularly disposed ofwater, of condensation from the coil therefin 22 which conducts thewater to the vertically. through. I

disposed pervious plate'fl through'which seeme refrigerator caseligvitzi'r o,oss,ae1

Moisture condensation 3- a play. is permitted. Stated otherwise,refrigerating spaced panes of glass defining an coils are used incommercial refrigerators such as refrigerators of the display typewhichis shown in the drawing, the temperature of the refrig- .erator coils isbelow 32 F. during the time the interior-of the refrigerator; permittingseepage refrigerating mechanism is in operation. Such ofwater ofcondensation from the coil theremechanism is, of course,-notincontinuous opthrough, and a fin disposed'below the coil for erationsince a 'continuous'operation of the reconducting drops of water ofcondensation from frigerating mechanism would cause the refrigerthecoil'to the plate. ating coils toaccumulate icewhich would make ii. Inadisplay refrigerator case having dual the refrigerator inoperative dueto the insulating. spaced panes of glass defining an inter-glass coatingof ice; To prevent such coating of ice space, a reservoir communicatingwith the intererate the'inter glais space,'an air tight plate perspace.a refrigerating coil positioned to refrlg-- on theinsulated glass- I outdeparting from the spirit ofthis invention as Y vicus to waterdisposedbetween the coil and the a the refrigerating mechanism. is automaticallyglass sp'ace, a-refrlgerating coil therein, and an controlled bygaspressure in order that the air tight plate pervious to water disposedbetween mechanism may be caused to operate periodically. the reservoiraim! the interior of the refrigerator Thus "during the time therefrigerating mech-' permittingseepage of water of condensation fromanism isinoperative any icecnthe refrigerating the coil theretlifwgm 1cells is melted and'sincethe switch mechanism a 4. In adisplsfyrefrigerator case having dual remains 'open'until the pressure risesabove that spaced panes of glass defining an inter-glass correspondingto a temperature-which will insure the melting of all of the accumulatedice on the having a portion thereof positioned to refrigerate 4orefrigerating coils, ice thereon will not again the inter-glass space,and an air tight plate per- =fo'rm until. the switch has been closed andthe vicus to water disposed between said portion of refrigerating"mechanism has again been in opthe coil and the interior of therefrigerator perspace, .a refrigerating coil within the refrigeratoreration-for some time,.a fter which the cycle of mitting seepage ofwater of condensation from inoperation is again repeated.

' said portion of the coil therethrough. .45 It will thus be '==thereare alternate periods 5. In a display refrigerator case having dualduring which-the refrigerating coils are coldspaced panes ofglassdeflning an inter-glass enough to chill the-atmospheresurrounding-them space, areservoir communicating with the inter-v andcondense s'umcientmoisturetobring-thelocal glass space, a refrigeratingcoil within the redew-point temperaturewell below the'tem'perafrigeratorhaving a portion thereof passing 5 ture of the glass panes, 'I'hiscondensation of through. the reservoir, and an air tight plate I ous towater disposed between said resertheatmosphere and th s upsets theequilibrium. voi and the interior ofrefrigerator permitofjthe watervapor in th fair imprisoned within ting seepage of water 0 condensationfrom said the, inter glass space IT, which 3.1 caused'io-be portion orthe coil therethrough.

condition, thus gradually bringing all" of the spaced panes of,glassdefining an. inter-glass very small quantity of water within theinterspace, a re servoir-disposed below and communiglass space intocontact with the coil'when it catingwith the inter-glass space,arefrigerating becomes frozen'thereon during thecycle of opcoil withinthe refrigerator having a portion 60 eration of the refrigeratingmechanism. During thereof passing through the reservoir, and an theoff-cycle or in'oper'ation of the refrigerating 1 air tight plateperviousto waterdisposed between mechanism the tube It warms up causingthe me said reservoirrand'the' interior of the refrigerator.

- thereon to meltand run down the an 22 to the "permitting seepage ofwateroi' condensation frompervious plate 2| through w ch seepage of the[said portion-got therethroullb positeside r the pervious plate II andinto the clonal J. norms. vrefrlgeraikir portion of, the case, y

